Telepathy

Spock telepathically senses the death of 400 Vulcans at a great interstellar distance

Telepathy was communication directly from one mind to another. An individual capable of telepathy was known as a telepath. Telepathy existed in various forms across a number of species. A related ability was empathy, the perception of others' emotions.

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Most examples of telepathy involved the exchange of words, paralleling verbal speech. (TNG: "Ménage à Troi") The vast majority of telepaths (98% of telepathic species known to the Federation in 2268) could both send and receive messages. (TOS: "The Empath") The Cairn transmitted images, allowing for a much faster rate of communication. (TNG: "Dark Page") The Enarans could implant their memories into the minds of non-telepaths, allowing those persons to relive their experiences. (VOY: "Remember") The living starshipGomtuu could mentally communicate millennia of experiences in a few seconds. (TNG: "Tin Man")

The Saltah'na created energy spheres that functioned as telepathic archives. The spheres caused those exposed to them to re-enact the thoughts and actions of the individuals stored within. (DS9: "Dramatis Personae")

Telepathic civilizations often developed a moral code that governed the use of telepathic powers. Several telepathic cultures considered conversing mentally in the presence of non-telepathic individuals to be impolite. (TNG: "Ménage à Troi"; VOY: "Caretaker") Invading another being's mind against their will was considered to be an act of assault comparable to rape. Some, such as the Ullians, codified this into law. (TNG: "Violations"; Star Trek Nemesis) The Mari policed violent thoughts as rigorously as violent acts. (VOY: "Random Thoughts") Information obtained via telepathy was not considered definite evidence in Federation jurisprudence. (TNG: "The Drumhead")

Vulcans and Betazoids established long-term psychic mating bonds; these links could be made with non-telepathic individuals. (TNG: "Haven"; VOY: "Blood Fever"). The non-telepathic Xyrillians also established a mental connection, with the aid of special granules, during their mating process. (ENT: "Unexpected") Telepathy was used ritualistically by joined Trill to commune with past hosts. (DS9: "Facets")

Star Trek science consultant and writer André Bormanis has revealed that telepathy within the Star Trek universe works via the "psionic field." According to Bormanis, a psionic field is the "medium" through which unspoken thoughts and feelings are communicated through space. Some humanoids can tap into this field through a kind of sense organ located in the brain (e.g. the paracortex). In the same manner that Human eyes can sense portions of the electromagnetic field, telepaths can sense portions of the psionic field. [1](X)

Joseph Gatt imagined his character, 0718, to be in telepathic contact with the USS Enterprise's systems at all times through cybernetic implants, more precisely a miniature version of the ship's computer implanted in the back of his head. [2]